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I believe I've mentioned this before many times and a few times directly to you. As Steve says all the pros hold the cue differently (among other things). I think from this we can deduce the actual CONFIGURATION of the grip is not the primary thing we should concentrate on.

But with their different grips what all the pros do in common (the good ones anyway) is the configuration of the grip doesn't change on the backswing or delivery. Yes, every one of them allows the last 3 (or 2) fingers to be pushed out of the way at the end of the longer backswings however those last 3 (or 2) fingers do not tighten on the cue until well after the strike and in fact it is right at the same time as the back of their thumb hits the chest or at the end of the delivery if they don't use the chest as a stopper.

Personally I've found using a wrap-around grip and using ONLY the 2nd finger, with the thumb resting against the loose forefinger and pointing straight down along with getting the chest and chin right down onto the cue and not allowing the cue off the chest has helped me a lot as I am now automatically stopping the cue at the end of my acceleration by using the back 3 fingers and I'm getting the 'snap' and also on hard shots my elbow is dropping a little at the end of the delivery.

One more point...giving a new grip just 2 days trial is not the best thing to do. Pick one of those grips you tried (I would recommend either thumb and forefinger or else 2nd finger only) and try it out for a few weeks, maybe a total of 10 practice sessions and see what happens.

Terry

Hi there Coach,

Yes indeed they are different in their technique and use what suits them and this can also be used as a guide for us to understand that there is no single way of playing this game. You need to identify what works best for you and then stick to it. Its just that when whatever it is that works best for me happens for me, it happens only once I do not realize it is happening and therefore afterwards I cannot remember whatever is was that happened Silly me but yeah that is true.

I shall be getting a longer cue and I think it will help me have a better stance around it including having the ease of putting the tip just close to the CB without having to have my cueing arm forwards of vertical at the back. Once that is achieved with this longer cue (I am altering my Peradon to be 60") I would be able to have my normal follow through and yes I do drop the elbow but with this longer cue I am sure that the elbow drop will happen after the strike for sure.

As for the grip yes indeed I will follow your recommendation and t to see what suits me better i.e. first finger or second finger and then stick to it. You are right on this account that 1 or 2 days is not enough to understand what grip works best for you. I will have to stick with one grip in think and thin and bear the bad days without thinking again there is something wrong with the grip etc... Pretty hard for me but it has been enough tinkering and experimentation already ... I am determined to control my thought process at the table this time.

I will use the second finger grip and try to have my palm touch the cue at address and then forget about it... someone rightly pointed out in another thread that he forms the grip while standing and then forgets about it.. I will have to do something like that.

I personally think having all these things sorted out i.e. the grip as well as the longer cue and stance adjustment accoding to the new length... I shall be ok with everything and then its concentration on the game and nothing else... And yes you are right about the chin and the chest... the chest follows the cue and not the other way round.... I shall keep that in mind too.

we both know its not really the solution, but if you want the buzz of getting a new toy by all means get a longer cue.
whats the length of your cue now and how long will be the new one?

I so wanted to get the new toy but nothing good was available up to my specifications within my budget. So I have given my own cue for alteration and now when it comes back it will be 60 inches long rather than 58 inches which it was before.

Yes I know that however the longer cue would actually enable me in placing it closer to the CB as well as keeping my grip arm vertical on the butt in a relaxed manner, previously when I wanted to keep my cueing arm vertical at address I did not have enough cue and my little finger or last two fingers tended to get off the butt... So this will give me some comfort in keeping the tip closer to the CB as well as having my cueing arm at vertical at address and still have an inch or less behind it.

When we chatted last I thought you had agreed not to lengthen your cue. Remember adding 2 inches to your cue will change the shaft flex and make it a little more whippier and it might even feel like a totally new cue and you may not be able to get on with it. I still think 58" is plenty of length for your height.

One other thing on the grip. When you posted your videos I said at the time your biggest problem was you changed the bend in the wrist as you delivered the cue. Try keeping the back of your palm on the butt of the cue at address and keeping it there during the entire delivery (of course it must come off the cue near the end of a longer backswing).

The golden rule is 'DO NOT CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GRIP HAND DURING THE DELIVERY' and this statement is directed primarily at the wrist joint which should not alter at all during the delivery and indeed during the backswing too.

If you cannot easily set up the video again then get one of your mates to look at the bend in your wrist joint from behind at the address position and then deliver a power shot and leave the cue extended and have you mate see if the wrist joint angle is the same. If it is not then you still have that problem and you cannot bend the wrist joint without taking the butt of the cue off-line. Try it and see if you do not believe that

When we chatted last I thought you had agreed not to lengthen your cue. Remember adding 2 inches to your cue will change the shaft flex and make it a little more whippier and it might even feel like a totally new cue and you may not be able to get on with it. I still think 58" is plenty of length for your height.

One other thing on the grip. When you posted your videos I said at the time your biggest problem was you changed the bend in the wrist as you delivered the cue. Try keeping the back of your palm on the butt of the cue at address and keeping it there during the entire delivery (of course it must come off the cue near the end of a longer backswing).

The golden rule is 'DO NOT CHANGE THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GRIP HAND DURING THE DELIVERY' and this statement is directed primarily at the wrist joint which should not alter at all during the delivery and indeed during the backswing too.

If you cannot easily set up the video again then get one of your mates to look at the bend in your wrist joint from behind at the address position and then deliver a power shot and leave the cue extended and have you mate see if the wrist joint angle is the same. If it is not then you still have that problem and you cannot bend the wrist joint without taking the butt of the cue off-line. Try it and see if you do not believe that

Terry

Dear Terry, I had to go for it eventually. I could not rest my mind thinking that these two inches might be of good benefit and then unless I had done that I might not have been at ease... Now at least I wont ever be able to blame the length of my cue anymore

Your concern is genuine. My cuemaker had the same opinion and that is why he did not touch the shaft, he added extra wood to the top of the butt from the brass joint. Cut it out a few inches from top and made another new piece with two inches more and then fitted it on top of the butt and drilled my original brass joint there. He made sure that the weight wont change much and also that the feel of the cue and its balance point is not disturbed... I hope I dont really feel like holding a new cue all together.

58" is not bad but Terry whenever i went to address position and tried to keep my grip arm vertical I had to hold the cue from the very end and if I wanted a full vertical position then that meant having to hold where my last two fingers went off the cutt completely at address and that was not my natural style and hence felt uncomfy. Let us see now how these two inches can prove of benefit which is what I am expecting of em.

Yes I am determined on the following coach, inasmuch as the grip is concerned, and that would be final:

1. I will use the second finger grip as final thing.
2. I will try to keep the palm touching the butt at address.

And yes I will now also try not to change this throughout the stroke- setting the backswing change aside.

Here is the deal terry. I will hopefully get my cue tomorrow. I will start practicing with it at the club for a few days and then I will capture and post my video next week. I think i will be able ot do that without a problem hopefully. That way my new setup and technique can be seen and analysed.... Will surely do that next weekend and not this one.

Is it a mere coincidence that it rhymes with the tom and jerry show which is what my little kid still makes me watch with him almost on a daily basis... And then he tries to be tom the next day and breaks all the cups and plates and when I ask him what are you doing ... he says... Baba, I am being tom right now